Wise Bread (Lynn Truong)

Google Phone (G1) Review

Lynn Truong — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:40:21 +0000

When the iPhone came out, I tried very hard to resist reading too much about it. I knew the hype would get to me, and I'd find myself "needing" one. It was easy to resist at the time, though, since it came with a hefty price tag. But even when the 3G iPhone came out at $200, I wasn't that thrilled. Apple was starting to sound a lot like a company called Microsoft, with buggy software and bundles. Also, there were rumors circulating about a Google phone, using a dazzling new open source operating system. I had to wait it out to see. The result? I'm a happy camper. The G1 is an excellent (and cheaper) alternative to the iPhone.

I read as many reviews as I could get my hands on before heading out on release day to sign up. Most reviewers agree that the OS is great, but it's not as fancy or impressive as the iPhone's interface. Gigaom compared it as "G-1 is a Honda to iPhone’s BMW." Well, I drive a Civic, so it works for me.

It's also a little heavier and thicker, but as engadget points out, it's no dealbreaker. Plus I like my gadgets to feel sturdy and hardy. The iPhone is a little too delicate for my taste.

Additionally, my experience with the G1 isn't colored by any iPhone usage. Even though I've seen it up close and personal, I've never handled one. Some reviewers got frustrated when trying to use iPhone shortcuts out of habit and finding the G1 doesn't work the same way.

For me, I thought everything was fairly intuitive. There aren't a lot of options -- it's clear what you can do and can't do. There isn't a way for you to sync with the computer. Instead, it syncs automatically with Google's applications -- Gmail, Calender, Contacts, etc. Since I use these apps, it didn't cause additional hassle, but I can see how non-Gmail users would find this annoying.

Overall, I'm very happy with the functionality and usability. I love the Qwerty keyboard. That's really what I cinched the deal for me. I didn't like the touch screen keyboard on the iPhone. The trackball is also extremely useful, and the touch screen is responsive. I've already downloaded a few applications from the Marketplace and am kind of addicted to the Memory game which is just like this old game called Simon.

The low memory will bother some people, and may indeed be a dealbreaker. But I didn't want a phone that would replace my iPod -- I actually don't mind keeping the iPod around for music, video, and photos. The data plan is also cheaper. $25/mo compared to AT&T's $30/mo. The T-Mobile plan also comes with 400 text messages, which AT&T does not. 400 text messages is more than sufficient for me. So really, this saves me $10/month.

I did have a problem last night while on a conference call -- the call dropped 3 times in 1 hour. I called T-Mobile immediately afterward, where I was sent to three different unhelpful but friendly technical support representatives. The first representative actually called the person I had been on a call with and kept him on the line for 10 minutes to see if his phone was dropping calls (I had tried to explain that I was on a conference call, and I was the only one dropping out of the call). The second person (level two technical support) told me he was sending me over to a "G1 specialist." This G1 specialist asked me to turn off and then turn on my phone. Wow. I couldn't have done it without her.

Today my boyfriend called me and kept me on the line during his commute to work (about 40 min) and no dropped call. Not sure if it's because he's on T-Mobile too or the off/on trick really did work.

Ultimately, I'm not sure if the G1 is taking away any market share. Would I have bought an iPhone eventually? I doubt it. But I picked up the G1 on the day it came out. I'm just happy that the Honda crowd has a chance to own a phone that reflects their interests instead of settling for a less attractive option. Go Google.

Permalink | 11 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Technology

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Women of personal finance spotlight: Frugal Upstate here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:58:45 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For this entire week 10/13 - 10/19, Jenn from Frugal Upstate will be answering questions in our forums about blogging, personal finance, and entrepreneurship!

Jenn is a quite fascinating and accomplished lady. Browse through her 100 Things About Me post and you'll find gems like "I’ve eaten a chicken heart while visiting Taiwan" and "I got my Masters of Business with a concentration in Logistics while in the Army." Now that's someone I would love to have a long chat with.

Please join Jenn in our forums today!

This interview is part of Wise Bread's spotlight on the Women of personal finance. At the end of the interview period we'll publish the best questions and answers from the forum interview and post them on the homepage. If your question gets picked we'll include a link back to your blog.

About Frugal Upstate

Blog: Frugal Upstate

Blogger: Jenn

Subscribe: RSS & Email

In her own words:

I’m New York mama Jenn from Frugal Upstate. Since 2006, I’ve been writing about simple ways to save money doing simple things you’ve never even considered. One hint: it’s not all about clipping coupons and buying on sale!

My motto is use what you’ve got, get creative and save. I started by stretching what I had for longer, reusing stuff and making do without all the little needless extras. Along the way, I figured out that frugality is fun—like the way you feel when you find a designer dress at a yard sale for $5.

Frugality isn’t scary, it’s a gradual process that I’m still learning myself. I try different frugal skills, some of which stick, and some that don’t. I have fabulous successes and ridiculous failures. I possess no special skills except tenacity and the belief that I can figure it out. And my favorite part is sharing and learning from my readers.

My kids inspired me to take up the frugal cause. I was a career Army officer working with guns and tanks, about a world away from my blissfully domestic life today. After the birth of my first child, I decided to stay home full time. A typical New Yorker, I wanted it all: a good life, happy kiddos and a fat wallet on one less paycheck. I was determined to prove to the world that we don’t need more money to keep up our quality of life.

I’m also a suburban subversive, plotting to reinvent the way we stay-at-home-moms think about keeping up with the Joneses. Here’s an example: last year I instituted a $10 gift limit at my daughter’s birthday party. No one complained, and gift limits started popping up on Christmas parties and friends’ invites. Quietly, we frugalites will take over the world!

Remember, every frugal tip isn’t for everyone. Try one new frugal skill and see if it works. Even just a few can and will make a difference in your lifestyle (and your bank account).

Check out some of her most popular posts:

Conscious Spending

Video Blog: Making Your Own Laundry Soap

Video Blog: Hanging Out the Wash

Frugal Food Part One: Eggs

Frugal Food Part Two: Tuna

Frugal Food Part Three: Beans

Frugal Food Part Four: Ground Meat

Frugal Food Part Fiver: Chicken Whole, Wings & Thighs

Frugal Food Part Six: Bread, Potatoes, Pasta & Rice

Gift Tags from Christmas Cards

Make Attractive & Frugal Curtains & Storage Boxes

Grab a cup of java and join our chat with Jenn in the forum today!

Jenn and Lynn hanging out at Blog World Expo.

Permalink | 7 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Frugal Living

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Women of personal finance spotlight: Lynnae from Being Frugal here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:58:36 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For this entire week (9/30- 10/5), Lynnae from Being Frugal will be answering questions in our forums about frugal living, blogging, and personal finance!

Lynnae is one of the most beloved frugal living bloggers. Her honest and warm writing connects with readers right away. Her blog entries read like long helpful letters from a favorite aunt or a helpful neighbor.

Please join Lynnae in our forums as she shares her insights on how to stay frugal in this dreadful economy.

This interview is part of Wise Bread's spotlight on the Women of Personal Finance. At the end of the interview period we'll publish the best questions and answers from the forum interview and post them on the homepage. If your question gets picked we'll include a link back to your blog.

About Being Frugal

Blog: Being Frugal

Blogger: Lynnae

Subscribe: RSS , Email

In her own words:

"I’ve been married for 12 years and have two children, a daughter and a son. I started racking up debt in college, when I applied for my first credit card on campus the first week of school. My husband and I added to my debt after we got married. We’ve finally woken up and decided it’s time to get out of debt for good

"I started this blog as a way to hold myself accountable for the financial decisions I make. In the short amount of time I’ve been blogging, my blog has grown to be far more than that. My readers keep my accountable for my decisions, and they’ve given me great tips on ways to become more frugal. I really enjoy interacting with my readers and visiting their blogs to see how they’re doing also. I love that there are so many bloggers working to get out of debt."

Check out some of Lynnae's most popular posts:

75 frugal hacks for your home

Why the minimalist lifestyle appeals to me

Homemade cleaning products

7 things women wish men knew about money

My best and worst financial decisions (they might surprise you)

(Not) keeping up with our parents: Career struggles

How to make a budget that works

How to build a square foot garden

How to prepare for a baby without going broke

How I taught my preschooler the value of a dollar

Grab a cup of java and join our chat with Lynnae in the forum today!

Permalink | 1 comment | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Frugal Living

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Museum Day 2008 -- Free admission Saturday only!!

Lynn Truong — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:06:35 +0000

By Lynn Truong

This Saturday, September 27, hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide are opening their doors and participating in Museum Day. Enjoy free general admission for ONE DAY ONLY (except for museums that are closed on Saturdays, the admission card works for Sunday, September 28).

Just go to Museum Day, download and fill out the admission card, find a venue that's participating, and present the Museum Day admission card to receive free general admission!

The restrictions are as follows:

One time use on September 27, 2008 unless otherwise specified
Card must be presented for free general admission
Admission Card will be collected upon entry
General admission only
Does not include entry to special exhibits or IMAX screenings
Admission Card is good for general admission for you plus one guest
One Admission Card per household
Not for use with any other offer
No rain checks
Some participating museums may already have a free admission policy year round and are participating in the "spirit" of the day

Get your family and friends together and go out this weekend to enjoy all the culture you can handle!

Thanks to Deal Locker and Bargain Hunter for the tip!!

Permalink | 2 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Freebies

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Women of personal finance spotlight: Donna Freedman from MSN here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:00:47 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For this entire week (9/15-9/21), Donna Freedman from MSN's Smart Spending blog will be answering questions in our forums about personal finance, frugal living, and her writing career.

Donna and her partner in crime Karen Datko have done a great job reaching out to the personal finance blogging community. They are constantly scouring the web for great material and they are always generous about linking out to smaller bloggers.

If you are are a new blogger looking for exposure, you should definitely drop by the forum and tell Donna about your blog.

About Smart Spending

Blog: Smart Spending

Blogger: Donna Freedman & Karen Datko

Subscribe: RSS

Donna spent 17 years as a feature writer at the Anchorage Daily News in Anchorage, Alaska. She is a full-time student at the University of Washington, where she is a Mary Gates Scholar majoring in the Comparative History of Ideas. Her writing, reviews and research have appeared in many publications, including McCalls, The New York Times Review of Books, Parade, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Premiere, 3-2-1 Contact, Time Magazine for Kids, and The Writer. Donna is the winner of the 2007 Clarion Award from the Association of Women in Communications.

Check out some of her most popular posts:

See a penny? Pick it up!

Your frugality tool: the kitchen timer

Breakfast on the fly, and on the cheap

Do our jobs define us? Some thoughts on labor

Doing without in your 20s -- by choice

6 reasons I love cash

Make your own hot-flash spray, and other frugal hacks

Frugal overspending is still overspending

Thinking outside the supermarket

The thrill of the hunt: Shopping secondhand stores

Grab a cup of java and join our chat with Donna in the forum today!

Permalink | Comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Personal Finance

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Women of personal finance spotlight: Allese Thomson from Wesabe here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:21:42 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For the rest of this week (9/10 - 9/14) Allese Thomson, the community manager from Wesabe, will be answering questions in our forum about personal finance, corporate blogging, and her experiences working for an exciting personal finance startup.

Wesabe is an online budgeting tool that analyzes your financial data to help you identify ways to save money. You can also get tips and support from other members of the Wesabe community, which is managed with loving care by Allese.

Allese started out as an intern at Wesabe but quickly moved up to become Wesabe's community manager and official blogger (I think she'll probably be running the place by Christmas).

Please join Allese in our forums today and find out how she landed such a sweet gig at Wesabe!

About Allese Thomson

Blog: Wheaties for Your Wallet (Wesabe's Official Blog)

Blogger: Allese Thomson

Community: Wesabe Groups

Subscribe: RSS

How Allese became Wesabe's community manager :

Last summer, we brought Allese in as an intern to help us take care of the increasing amounts of work at Wesabe. We were psyched that she dove right in and did a great job with her assigned tasks. Even better, though, was that she started using Wesabe for her own finances, and had a ton of great suggestions and contributions for improving the site. Best of all for me, she jumped into Wesabe Groups and started asking questions, posting her own advice, and kicking off threads that turned into great and long-running conversations. Her participation in Groups wasn’t part of her job nor even anything we asked her to do, but right away she made the community better and has been very active in Groups since.

Here is a sample of the helpful discussions taking place at Wesabe:

My credit report - Argh!

Can you afford your pets?

Dealing with a spouse's spending addiction

Legit work from home opportunities?

How much do you spend on groceries per week/month?

What makes you feel rich while being frugal

Interested in starting a new business -- Need advice

Some perspective on student loans

Allese recently started writing for Wesabe's official blog Wheaties for Your Wallet. Here are her most recent posts:

The 411 of the 401(k)

The overwhelming world of money

Grab a cup of java and join our chat with Allese in the forum today!

Permalink | 2 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Personal Finance

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Women of personal finance spotlight: Nina Smith of Queercents here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:30:32 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For this entire week (9/2 - 9/7) Nina Smith from Queercents will be answering questions in our forums about personal finance, real estate, and group blogging!

Nina is one of the most media savvy bloggers around. I'm personally looking forward to asking her about how she's able to get such great press on the New York Times, Bankrate.com, and Entrepreneur magazine.

Joing our chat with Nina today!

About Nina Smith

Blogs: Queercents, Sitting Pretty

Blogger: Nina Smith

Subscribe: RSS for Queercents, RSS for Sitting Pretty

By day, Nina sells software, but her real estate investments have grown to become a significant part of her financial plan. She has owned and lived in four homes from varied eras (three of which she upgraded and sold for tidy profits, one she occupies now). She also owns three investment properties and sold a fixer a few years ago in Palm Springs.

Nina is the founder and fearless leader of Queercents, a syndicate of personal finance writers serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. But you don't have to be part of the LGBT community to benefit from Queercents. As Trent from The Simple Dollar once pointed out:

Although it’s awesome that they’re targeting such a specific audience, the truth of the matter is that Queercents is just a great personal finance blog, period. The writing is amazingly strong on a daily basis and I find the advice highly applicable to my own life as a heterosexual white Protestant living in rural Iowa.

Check out the great content on Queercents and find out why Trent has such high praise for its writing:

Ten Money Questions: interviews with prominent people in the LGBT community.

Sleeping with Money: love, relationships and money

WWYD: as in What Would You Do

In Search of Gay Money: Queercents reprints advice from straight columnists by swapping out pronouns and a few other words to make it seem like the whole world is queer.

Almost Debt Free: John’s series about reducing debt, followed up with the recent Bliss Chronicles.

Building Wealth Consciousness From Within: How-To series from Dr. Lana highlighting our relationship between the power of the mind and wealth.

Career & Money: Paula’s helps readers move beyond the daily grind

Femme Economics: Mooreas writings for just between us girls

God & Mammon: Aundi’s essays on god, religion and money

Pink & Green Parenting: How-To go green without wasting greenbacks as a queer parent.

Reducing Pet Costs: Andrea’s fetches a few tips to minimize the cost of owning a pet.

Rising Cost of Food: Serena’s cheap and easy ways to stretch your food dollar.

Tax Guide: Allison’s expert series in 2007, followed up with Tax Tidbits in 2008.

Tipping Etiquette: Mike’s series explores the ins and outs of tipping.

Please drop by the forum and have a chat with Nina today.

Permalink | 2 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Personal Finance

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Women of personal finance spotlight: Millionaire Mommy Next Door here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:15:18 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For this entire week (8/25 - 8/31), Jen from The Millionaire Mommy Next Door will be answering questions in our forums about blogging, personal finance, and entrepreneurship!

Jen went from working a minimum wage job as a college drop-out to financial freedom as a debt-free, self-made millionaire by age 40. Today she is the author of one of the most popular and inspiring personal finance blogs.

Please join Jen in our forums as she shares the story of her amazing journey to financial independence.

About The Millionaire Mommy Next Door

Blog: The Millionaire Mommy Next Door

Blogger: Jen

Subscribe: RSS

In her own words:

We consider ourselves closet millionaires. Our family lives a typical middle-class lifestyle with one fantastic exception-- we only work when we want to. Financial freedom affords us free time. Contrary to popular belief, most millionaire households do not live the extravagant lifestyles that many assume. In fact, a millionaire or two may be living inconspicuously next door to you.

I want to share the story of our journey from minimum wage to financial freedom because I'm at a point where I'd like to give back. The financial industry is rarely focused on women – my intention is to offer a supportive community and a female perspective.

My blog isn't just about sharing my story. I've pledged my blog's profits (referral commissions from sales of my favorite books and advertisements) as no-interest microloans for small businesses operated by working, impoverished women in developing countries.

Jen's posts are always filled with equal measures of excellent advice and heartfelt encouragement. Following her RSS feed is like having a personal wealth coach. Check out some of her most popular posts.

Why Women Need More Money Than Men -- and What Can Be Done to Make It Happen

A Year's Worth of Weekly Cheap Dates

Create Your Treasure Map To Riches

Dispelling The Myth That Home Ownership Is Your Best Investment

How I Became a Millionaire While Working In My Pajamas

How to Become a Famous Blogger (or) I'm a Closet Millionaire No More

How to Make a Million Dollars While Eating Lunch

How to Make Money Management a Family Affair

If You Want To Be Wealthy, You Need To Know This

The Skeletons in My Closet

Grab a cup of java and join our chat with Jen in the forum today!

Permalink | 2 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Personal Finance

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Our Productivity Obsession

Lynn Truong — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:42:47 +0000

By Lynn Truong

I spent a few weeks being extremely productive. And by productive I mean that I worked many more hours than usual. I was consumed by work. I was focused, efficient, and produced good, solid, measurable work. I was feeling pretty good about myself, until I got sick. My body has always reacted directly and appropriately to my stresses and emotions. I really got ill from all the productivity I was getting.

In Japan, there is a term for death by overworking – “karoshi.”

Then I got interviewed for a life hacking documentary. We talked about the life hacking movement that has caused a frenzied race for productivity. We talked about the varied systems and techniques, the new media that has changed our way of communicating, and how I balance my work-at-home life with just my home life. The interview really stayed with me, and I started doing some thinking (some would call me being unproductive).

Obsessive culture

There are similarities between our obsession with work (or productivity) and our obsession with food (or nutritionism). Michael Pollan’s theory on why our nation is so unhealthy is that we have an obsession with food. Since we don’t have a food culture like the rest of the world, we think we need food science to tell us what we should eat. Other countries have social rules that keep them eating well. We have Dr. Atkins. We don't want to rely on our intuitive sense of how to maintain healthy bodies. We want numbers, data, and diagrams that make us feel full of knowledge, when we're just really all full of crap.

Similarly, our work culture has created an obsession with productivity. We jump at anything that promises more output on less time. We try all the latest tools and gadgets. Who can blame us? After all, we are living in a time where there is unprecedented information flow. We are lost in a sea of communication. Is it so bad to want help filtering and sussing out the emails and feeds?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to manage our time better. Except that for most of us, the increased productivity hasn’t led to less work. Sure we are doing more on less time, but what are we using that saved time to do? We’re using it to work more. Now that I can do in 4 hours what used to take me 8, I can spend the extra 4 hours to do another 8 hours worth of work. Is that really why we want to be more productive?

Breaking our own records

Aren't we just valuing productivity for its own sake? Technology makes us work faster, and deliver communication immediately. Now we are chasing our own stats, just to break our own records. The faster we’re able to cross off to-do items, the faster we’re able to add more to the list. How is this break neck speed of productivity helping make our lives better?

Dysfunctional communicators

Email comes along and revolutionizes the way we communicate. It made us more connected. We can communicate easier with people who are far away. We keep in touch with people we would never have if we had to keep track of mailing addresses or phone numbers.

Then we started getting so many of them that we didn't have time to respond thoroughly or read clearly. With more sites, feeds, and emails, we learned to communicate through a series of keywords rather than in depth conversations. We scan emails, the way we scan articles, the way we scan conversations. We twitter instead of saying complete sentences. We pick up words here and there and create a fuzzy picture of what we think the other person is saying. Add to that our own personal filters of communication, whether it's biases or experiences, and we've truly become dysfunctional communicators.

Multitasking and scanning are the biggest productivity myths, and are destroying our ability to pay attention to anything.

Your time, your decisions

Tim Ferriss is productive not because he's created a system to manage his time, but because he's made uncompromising decisions about his priorities. He truly crams a week's worth of work in four hours so he can use the rest of his time traveling, learning new skills, and enjoying life. For the rest of us, productivity tools and systems don't make us do more with less time, it makes us do more on the same amount of time.

Maybe our varied curiosities and attention is the only thing keeping us from becoming machines. Maybe it's okay to "waste time" reading every word of an article rather than scanning for an incomplete understanding. Maybe it's okay to take time drafting an email without using a template. Can't we watch Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog for the hundredth time without feeling inadequate about our production level? Sometimes a little distraction helps remind us that we have interests outside of work.

We have friends and sunshine and things to say beyond what we blog about. Don't we? Shouldn't we be striving for productivity in an attempt to have more time for ourselves, to do the things on that other to-do list, the one we label "some day when I have time" or are we pushing ourselves to be more productive so we can have more time to work, more excuses to not play with the kids, more reasons to let dust settle on that one, really important to-do list?

Don't flame me

Before all the scanning leaves you with the idea that I'm advocating a couch potato lifestyle, please read this: I believe in a strong work ethic. We should work hard and earn what we get. I just wonder if we are made to feel guilty about our productivity level so often, that we forget what the point of it is in the first place. We don't want to spend all our days working. Technology has made it so we can skip the commute, take a conference call from another country, disregard the office hours, and thus use time more efficiently.

But more and more, the same technology is invading our personal space, causing an age old conflict of work life interfering with personal life to resurface with a vengeance. The instant access from anywhere, anytime, is supposed to help us be unchained to our desk. Instead, we've allowed work to flood our personal lives so completely, we no longer see a boundary. We take calls at the dinner table. We put the cellphone by the bedside every night.

Maybe some of us are just looking for a distraction from life. And what better distraction from life than trying to strive for productivity perfection. We can reach for this ultimate end goal for us to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no wasted seconds. Self destruction may be the cost of no self development. Then we can all do the karoshi.

Permalink | 8 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Career and Income, Life Hacks

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Women of personal finance spotlight: The Frugal Duchess here to answer your questions

Lynn Truong — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:09:25 +0000

By Lynn Truong

For this entire week (8/18- 8/24), Sharon Harvey Rosenberg (The Frugal Duchess) be answering questions in our forum about blogging, personal finance, and her new book Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money Anywhere!

All of us have dreams of publishing a book based on our blogs or life stories. Now you can ask Sharon how she was able to land that Holy Grail among writers: A fabulous book deal.

As a popular columnist for the Miami Herald, Sharon can also offer useful insights on how bloggers can approach journalists to get more media attention.

Join the conversation with the Frugal Duchess today.

About The Frugal Duchess

Blog: The Frugal Duchess

Blogger: Sharon Harvey Rosenberg

Subscribe: RSS

Sharon is an award-winning journalist for the Miami Herald who is an expert on living a life of high style without the stress of high costs or deprivation. Her new book chronicles her often hilarious journey of luxury living for less in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S., while equipping readers with the tools they can use in their own cities.

"I have a fashionably frugal attitude: Live well, find meaning and stay on a budget." Sharon

Sharon has so many great tips on her blog it is hard to pick our favorites. Here is a sample of her money-saving, style-enhancing tips:

What I Learned about Money from Writing a Book

How to Get a Fair Deal When Splitting the Tab with Friends

Park Carefully: 10 Frugal Tips for Post-Holiday Shopping

Ask for Camp Scholarships! Money is Out There

Why I Collect Pennies: 6 Reasons for Loving Petty Cash

Selling the Car, Jewelry & Other Stuff to Raise Cash

Sell the Coach Bag? What I'm Willing To Give Up for Financial Security

Shocking Results from My Free Energy Audit

Tips for Preparing for Home Ownership

How to Save Money on Hair Coloring (Sorry Jamie Lee!!)

How to Hire Friends & Other Life Lessons from a Photo Shoot

Check out some of the media attention she's getting for her wonderful book:

CBS4 & The Frugal Duchess

iVillage Weekly Top 10: Books for Style Mavens

Jim & Jade in the Morning CBS

Money Blogger Podcast Interview

NBC 4 WRC in Washington, DC

Plum TV Interview

Wise Bread Interview

Here's a great review of Sharon's book from an enthusiastic Amazon fan :

I just devoured "The Frugal Duchess" on a weekend getaway trip and loved it. Not only did I amass a number of helpful tips-- AAA discounts movie tickets & vinegar works as an inexpensive alternative to pricey dishwasher rinses-- but the author is so engaging that I enjoyed every moment of the journey. This book improbably combines everything from a glimpse into the South Beach high life to tales of growing up African-American in the Philadelphia suburbs to creative tips for throwing a memorable slumber party for tween girls.

Harvey Rosenberg has a terrific sense of humor, and the stories of her family made the book truly priceless. With any luck, she'll soon have her own TV spot so she can continue to offer offbeat shopping ideas and important life lessons.

A frugal blogger with a TV spot? Why not? I would certainly watch that show. Yup, that's how rumors get started folks. Please drop by the forum and have a chat with the Frugal Duchess today.

Permalink | 3 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Personal Finance

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